Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-05-06

Otllei lOuN oAVulhlouot buc lIllc illNHIu
was invariably invited to accompany
us and occupy the third seat in our car
riage. 1t was queer, swinging affair
in Roman cabs, and decidedly uncom-
Portable. As soon as we were outside
the walls, / was invariably requested by
my aunt to change seats with Filippo
so that he might lean back costly, and
have all the benefit possible from the
fresh air. confess that l felt decided
ly ill-naturcd over this state of affairs.
One day my aunt planned an excur-
sion TO ST. Paul's-a beautiful church
on the dreaded Campagna; we were to
take in the Protestant cemetery and
some other sights by the way, so car
riagc was engaged and Filippo was in
vited. Having been notified the day
before, he met us at our own door, and
handed us in with grand air that
seemed natural to him.
As we drove through the Piazza
Colonna, VIC stopped for letters at the
post-oilice. There were three; one from
mother-how strangely dear she seemed
in that far distant home of mine! and
two for Aunt Betscy. AS she opened
the first, French bank-notc for
thousand francs iluttcred out and fell to
the ground; Filippo jumped out quickly,
and picked it up.
"What pretty blue papcr!' he said,
innocently, rs Aunt Bctsoy snapped it
carclessly into the leather money-bng
which she wore attached to her belt,
after fashion of time.
Yes, / said, mocking his ignorance,
"that is an invitation to the Queens
Reception. Aunt Betscy is having a
white satin dress made for it.
Dior he exclaimed, as soon rs he
fathomcd my meaning, for my Italian
was vile beyond belief; my lady knows
the Quecnp'
"oh yes; they call each other Bctsey
and Margherita when they meet.
Those blue papers,
"Lizy Ami" said my aunt, sharply;
while Filippo looked Mt me with pa
theti,, puzzled expression, as if quite
unable to reconcile our very ordinary
style of living and dress with the pos
session of such grand acquaintanccs.
Before we had driven dozen yards,
we caught sight of Filippo's step-father
leaning gracefully against one of the
columns forming the portal of the
Doria Palace, and lcisurely smoking n
cigarette.
Filippo laid one of his little brown
hands on my aunt's shabby glove, and
said, in that sweet voice which always |
went straight to her heart: "Will the
signora allow me to speak moment to
that vipcrP Mama mo was asleep !
when l crept out, and he must tell her
that will be gone all day with the
English lady, and not be back until
after sunset"
By this time we had left the indolcnt |
Scrittorc behind us, but Filippo ran
back and we watched him give his
message, talking with hands, arms,
shoulders and eyes, rs his lively race
are apt to do
II hope he'll make him understand |
some time to-day!" said Aunt Betsey, |
impatiently; but when he came rum
ing back. his sunny smile disarmcd her
wrath, and she put out her hand to
help. him in; quite unnecessarily, for
Filippo could no longer be called an
invalid. l remember rejoicing when
he insisted on keeping that uninviting
little third seat, declaring himself to |
be quite well again.
At length, we came in sight of the |
Pyramid where the unknown Cesto is
buried; and of the grass-grown noun
tain of broken pottery-the jars in
which the whole world once sent trib- |
ute to Rome; and of the poplars and
stone-pines which shade the little bury |
ing-ground where strangers lie. As we
walked under the sunny sky of Italy, |
which was to us an eyer-new wonder,
delightful sense of peace crept over
us.
/ gathered, with Filippo's help,
bunch of white violets from the grave |
of Keats, and copied for Aunt Betsey
the pathetic inscription above his last |
home. Little as / knew of his life
and knew less of his poctry-I could |
not help feeling, there at his grave. the
shadow o: his lifc's bitterness and dis
appointment
As we sauntered out, feeling gently
toward all the world, whom should we
see, leaning lazily against the wall, but
Filippo's step-father, smoking cigar
ette, and looking precisely the same as
we had left him, miles away, an hour
before.
Aunt Bctsey looked sharply at
Flippo, and we both felt uneasy as we
clambcred in an gave the order to our
cabby. To our surprise he did not
move, but before my aunt could repeat |
the command, the wiper" rs Filippo |
loved to call him, stepped leisurely for
ward, and seized the bag in which the |
thousand-franc note had been placed |
that morning, giving it a sharp jerk.
Fortunately, it was of good English |
leather, and stood the strain. My aunt |
seized it as well rs she could with both |
hands, and screamed to the cabman to |
drive on; but he sat stolid and passive,
not even turning his head to see the |
struggle.
Terrified almost cut of my sense, |
jumped upon the seat, and seized the |
whip, at the same time emitting two sr
three war-whoops in the hope of bring
ing help, though there was no one in
sight.
Aunt Betsey held on bravely, and
actually succeeded in starting the horse
"a poor, broken-down old thing, that
hardly felt the whip through his tough |
hide-when Filippo. miserable migrate!
jumped out in obedience to his step
fathers command, and seized the ami
NAL by the bit. At the same time, the
father reached over with his disengag-
ed arm, and lively struggle ensued
between us for the possession of the
whip. The cObman paid no attention
to what was going on, apparently think
"a IL a. 4